Are Potbellies In Style For Summer?

by Katherine Tweed (Subscribe to Katherine Tweed's posts)
Aug 14th 2009 6:00PM

It's suddenly cool to sport a tummy; Photo: Matt Carr, Getty Images

Potbellies are back for men, according to The New York Times. Or perhaps they never went away?

Theories abound in the article as to the cause. David Zinczenko, the editor of "Men's Health," told The New York Times, that with so many women in the workplace, it's been more important for men to market themselves to the ladies in terms of both financial and physical prowess.

"I sort of think the six-pack abs obsession got so prissy it stopped being masculine," is how Aaron Hicklin, the editor of "Out," explains the emergence of the Ralph Kramden, as it's been coined.

Metrosexuality out, moderate beer belly in. But where is that line? It's true that women never get that sort of pass if they're sporting a bulge in the midsection. Are more young men actually letting themselves go, or is this just a trend being noted around the streets of Brooklyn?

The article points out that as hipsters scarf $13 lobster rolls at Brooklyn Flea, it seems unlikely that these thickening midsections are due to financial woes. But let's be honest, there's a lot of people out of work, and a lot of extra time for $2 brews in the afternoon.

But I also live in Brooklyn, where I see countless men pounding pavement on afternoon runs or lining up to play tennis at McCarren Park. There are definitely some guts hanging around, but it's hard to say if it's a trend. Just as some men let themselves go while they're under stress or forced to cancel their gym memberships, there are also others who use summer or unemployment to step up their fitness routines. If you're not into flabby midsections and think six-pack abs are still the way to go, give the Abs Diet a try.

Tell us, are the young men in your area suddenly sporting guts? Or are the number of potbellies staying the same?

Check out our gallery below to see famous guys who proudly display their potbellies.

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http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Male Celebs With Bellies

Jack Black

Laurent Rebours, AP

Getty Images North America

Male Celebs With Bellies

Jack Black

Laurent Rebours, AP

Kevin Federline

Bauer-Griffin

Seth Rogen

Evan Agostini, Getty Images

Jon Gosselin

Bauer-Griffin

Vince Vaughn

Bauer-Griffin

Comments (62)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Arlene Giammarco 8-16-2009 @ 7:39AM

I live in south Florida and we have our share of potbellies, but we have many, many six-packs to enjoy watching. I grew up watching surfer bodies walking outside my house to the beach - long live the six-pack!

Amelia 8-16-2009 @ 9:30AM

Thank you Sir! As a six-pack holder myself, I expect my partner to have the same standards as I. I'm not about to date some gross, flabby, lazy male!

poggle4 8-17-2009 @ 10:41AM

Yes I too have a pot belly, have had one all my life.
Now that I am 50ish I have came to the conclusion why go without the foods that I love.
Granted there are alot of people out there that are over weight and by some standards I am at 209 lbs. On the otherhand there are alot of exercise nuts out there that lose weight put it back on then lose it again, which isn't good for your body either.
So eat what you want don't over do it and enjoy life!!!
To many people that are in shape are dying as well.

lee 8-17-2009 @ 3:32PM

Why settle for a six-pac, when you can tap into a keg!

Emanuel De Castro 8-17-2009 @ 2:26PM

I cannot believe in all of Hollywoodland they were only able to find 5
celebrity people who have a few extra pounds on their bellies.

sarah 8-16-2009 @ 8:15AM

I totally think a little beer gut is hot on a man. Look at Chuck Liddell (of UFC fame). The man is a rock. He has enormous arms and toned legs, but he doesn't have a six pack. He doesn't have a fat roll or anything, but he DOESN'T have a six pack. I think its very hot! I'd rather date man that looks good AND will still drink a beer after work. I've dated those guys with six packs and they are just too high maintenance. I don't want a man that counts calories more than I do!

Mimi 8-16-2009 @ 10:24AM

I agree - six packs are overrated. Having said that, a gut is a turn-off. A guy doesn't need a six-pack, but this is not an excuse to go and get a potbelly. Yuck.

Scott 8-17-2009 @ 6:38PM

You go girl!!

Rick 8-16-2009 @ 9:09AM

11 years ago I wasn't fat at all but I smoked cigarettes and pot fairly heavily. I gave up cigarettes, and gained 25 pounds. Friends commented saying" oh but doesn't it feel so much better to be out of the nicotines grasp?" ( well, yeah maybe) It's been 2 1/2 years since I toked my last doobie and I gained another 25 pounds. Now I look pretty fat. People ask " oh, but don't you feel so much better?" not really, It's hard to bend, harder to move around,sleep apnea, labored breathing.etc. Also, I look worse. I really wonder which is the bigger villan, I don't feel any smarter either.

Savanna 8-19-2009 @ 6:13PM

Even though it may not seem like it, you have given yourself a better shot at health -- if not years to your life, then life to your years. Every day is a new day to start living healthy and you have taken the first and most important step! Now you need a close and honest look at your diet and activity level which both need to improve to get fit and take off a few pounds. Keep a daily food diary to see what you're doing that you can change and start with a daily walk. Sometimes, progress is measured in inches!! Good luck!

john 8-17-2009 @ 11:09AM

i know what u mean about the quit smoking cigs. and the pot. I to quit smoking cigs. 2 1/2 years ago and have gained 25 pounds. no i do not feel any better. i quit smoking weed and no i dont feel any better. so there u go.......

gavinfiver 8-16-2009 @ 9:49AM

yea well thats fine I guess if you want to slowly destroy your liver! (That is where the pot belly comes from. Your liver swells and in result pushes all your other organs forward, causing the pot belly.) For me I am glad I dont drink and my liver is safe, not to mention I dont look FAT and Slobish!!!!!!!!!

savanna 8-19-2009 @ 6:10PM

That is an exaggeration. I am a healthcare professional. A fatty liver is caused by too many fats and carbohydrates, but the liver enlargement is not that extreme. What you are seeing is a deposit of visceral fat, which in itself is also very bad for you. Fat accumulates between your abdominal organs -- it can be seen on a CT scan.

Larry 8-17-2009 @ 7:42PM

Another part of the swelling is the fat stored in the omentum and mesenteric deposits, known as visceral fat. This is not the fat under the skin that covers the six-pack ripped abs, but is found on the membranes that attach to the intestines. One can have quite well developed abdominal muscles and still carry a lot of fat underneath. The visceral fat is thought to be a worse indication of fatty arteries. Another interesting item is the latest discovery that using fat in your food for energy is aided by the same enzyme that enables fat storage buildup. So hunger affects fat storage differently if you don't have the enzyme that brings fat in from food--- both fatties and skinnies feel hungry, but one absorbs all the fat and still feels hungry, while the other blocks all the fat and still feels hungry. Excess fat tends to be make us unable to move glucose and to know we've eaten enough, no fat-use enzyme keeps blood sugar low because no fat is used for energy. When there is no food available, people without fat deposits starve quicker. When there is plenty of food all the time, people with fat deposits accumulate more than is healthy. How we feel hunger and use food is not the same for everybody.

aduh 8-16-2009 @ 9:48AM

Men should never be proud of being fat!!It's amazing u would never ever read an article like this about women.Women would be lectured how it's there personal duty to have a 12 pack.There are no health benefits to being overweight NONE!!!!

Cee64E 8-17-2009 @ 6:50AM

While I'm not "proud" to have a pot belly, I am also not some metrosexual gym baby that's as prissy about my appearance as a 14-year-old girl. I'm in my 40s and yes I have a pot belly though not from beer consumption. It is a natural result of my genetics, my food intake and my physically demanding work. Take a look at power lifters and the guys in the strongman competitions and you'll get an idea.
My food intake is a result of my lifestyle. I love to eat and I can afford to eat well. That's why I work so hard, to provide my family with the best things in life, and nothing is better than a well prepared meal shared with family and friends. Besides, most of the women I know would rather cuddle a teddy-bear than some toy-boy that's all angles and bones. Those guys are like tropical fish for pets, nice to look at, but they're not much fun to play with. ;)

JAYMEN 8-17-2009 @ 1:10PM

WHAT CRAP.... WOMEN ARE ALWAYS TOLD TO LOVE THEMSELVES NO MATTER WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
OPRAH MADE HER FORTUNE OFF THAT MANTRA.

IF WOMEN FEEL BAD ABOUT BIENG FAT, BLAME THE WOMEN'S MAGS FOR MAKING THEM FEEL THAY WAY. EVERY GUY I KNOW WOULD RATHER HAVE A WOMAN WITH TOO MUCH THAN TOO LITTLE. NO ONE WANTS TO DATE OLIVE OIL FROM POPEYE. GIVE ME A CURVY GAL EVERYTIME

Dennis 8-17-2009 @ 1:47PM

I heard of a Japanese study of tens of thousands of people, comparing life expectancy of skinny vs overweight people. And they reportedly found that being slightly overweight resulted in longer lives than being at what was supposedly a perfect weight. Of course, obesity would be another thing, altogether.

Mikey the Nail 8-16-2009 @ 9:57AM

Yes, some men -- and some women -- let themselves go. However, there is also a thing called "body type." In life, you've got your grey hounds (ectomorphs), you've got your hunter/killers (endomorphs), and you've got your potato pickers (mesomorphs).

Unfortunately -- but naturally -- most of us are mesomorphs. This makes sense, because human kind over the ages had a lot more use of physical labor than running or fighting. Our bodies are designed to store fat for use as energy, so we can continue working when food is scarce.

Now, as for six-pack abs going obsolete for men, I don't think that's going to happen any faster than heart-shaped butts going obsolete in favor the medicine ball style for women. I think there is a prissy factor involved in six-pack abs for men that isn't present with with the heart-shaped butt. However, in both cases body type and age are probably the major factors.

Judy 8-17-2009 @ 1:33PM

Sorry, but you have the body types a little confused. A mesomorph has more red, fast twitch fiber which is the muscular type and has explosive strength and low body fat. (not the endo morph.) An endomorph has a round, apple shape with higher body fat (also more predisposed to heart problems) and the ectomorph is the linear then bodyfat that has better endurance and very low body fat as well as a hard time building muscle. Just for your info...

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